Single dose collapsible tube



Sept. 19, 1939.

M'. A. JECUSCO Filed Febf 9, 1939 MHQK R. IYEcuSCO Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2.11am l I SINGLE nose conmrsmrn roan Mark A. Jecusco, Forest mus, Lon Island, N. Y., assignor to Victor Metal'Products Corporatio i v N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 9,1939, Serial No. 255,502 8 Claims. 221-60) This invention relates to -single dose containers and more particularly to containers incorporating. a readily frangible section in a specially formed protuberance.

Prior to the instant invention, it has been proposed that single dose collapsible tubes be provided with protuberances formed with readily frangible areas, but such tube constructions while they may be readily punctured for dispensing purposes are awkward to grip or hold while their body portions are worked on.

It is an object of the invention to provide a.

single dose container having a protuberance formed with a readily frangible section and a finger gripping portion in non-interfering but protecting relation with said frangible section.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a single does collapsible tube having a body portion and a protuberance formed with a combined circumferential protecting finger grip portion.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the upper portion of the tube prior to the formation of the finger grip section;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the finger pping section formed; I

Fig. 3 isra view similar to Fig." 2 with the frangible area ruptured;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2but taken at right angles thereto;

Fig. 5 is a top plan viewof the finished tube;

and,

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the finished tube.

Referring to Fig. 1, a collapsible tube It comprising a body portion H, a frusto-conical section I! and a protuberance I3 is formed with a slot H in is upper portion. The substantially cylindrical side walls l5 of the protuberance I 3 are relatively thick and form a base for the rounded or curved head portion l6 within which the slot I4 is formed. The lower wall of the slot it comprises a curved frangible area I! which is adapted to be ruptured by a flick of the thumb nail guided through the slot I in the of the walls I! to produce a discharge opening in the tube III.

In order to provide a finger gripping portion on the tube locatedaway from the body portion 55 thereof, the relatively thick side walls I! of the section, as illustrated in the-instant construction, involves direction of the axis thereof by the inner faces.

protuberance I! may becut into the rounded sectional formation R illustrated in Figs. 2. 3 and 4, whereby the tube I0 may be gripped by the fingers at R and the body portion it have work performed thereon such as for example,decora- 5 tive application. The rounded formation R may be formed by cutting the relatively, thick side walls l5 or in any other suitable manner. Not only may therounded formation R be used 7 as a finger grip but it also provides convenient 10 means for racking thetubes in suspended position by sliding the same on to a pair of wires W illustrated in section in Fig.2. With the tubes so racked in suspended position, they are ideally arranged for drying subsequent to decoration of 15 the tube bodies II for by arranging the tubes in racked position in spaced relation air may be passed around the entire exteriors of the tubes.

With the frangible area I! having a curved same is adapted-to be readily sheared by the fingernail and yet while sufiicient strength is embodied in thecap ii at theslot l4 whereby premature rupture is ordinarily prevented, the rounded finger grip formation R gives further 5 protection by addingrigidity to the protuberance II and acting as'a bumper therefor. Further, strength by virtue of the location of the frangible section l1 in a plane at variance with the external surface 30 of the head portion i6 of the protuberance I3. I

' It is to be noted that the frangible section II does not extend to the outer circumferential margin Zlof the head portion it, yet the slot It does extend to this margin whereby though 5 the slot may be readily located by the fingernail, yet the small edge portions 2| of the frangible section are not weakened as they would be if they extended to the outer margin 20.

After the tube has been completed, filled and 40 its end E sealed, a flick of the thumb nail through the slot I will effect rupture of the frangible area I! as illustrated inFig. 3 and upon subsequent compression of the body ll of the tube Ill, the tube filling will be ejected from the slit-like 45 opening l9. Y 7

The structure recited above has been found to be capable of being filled, stored and handled without premature rupture and is an improvement over prior tubes which have had a tendency to develop leaks and be generally unhandy as no gripping portion was provided, making it necessary to handle the tube by the body thereof which was obviously objectionable.

It will be obvious tothose skilled in the art Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the 20 that various changes may be made in this device without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims. 7

1 What is claimed is:

1. A single dose container including a protuberance having a convex curved head portion incorporating a convex curved frangible section located in a plane at variance with the external surface of said head portion, said protuberance being formed with a laterally extending relatively heavy finger' gripping bumper extending entirely around its periphery.

2. A single dose'container including a body and an integrally formed protuberance, said protuberance including a head portion being formed with a readily frangible area and side walls, the side walls of said protuberance having a. projecting finger grip element formed integrally therewith.

3. In a single dose collapsible tube, a body portion, a frusto-conical section, a protuberance extending from said frusto-conical section and being axially aligned therewith, said protuberance including side walls and a head portion, said head portion formed with a transverse groove, the lower portion of said groove being formed with a relatively thin frangible area extending along the axis of said groove, whereby the readily frangible area may be ruptured by a flick of the thumb nail, the side walls of said protuberance being relatively heavy and formed with a generally ring-like protruding grip.

4. A collapsible tube comprising a body portion and a protuberance, said protuberance including-side walls and a head portion, said head ortion being formed with a transverse groove, the lower portion of said groove being formed with a relatively thin frangible area extending along the axis of said groove, whereby the readily frangible area may be ruptured by a flick of the thumb nail, the side walls oi said protuberancebeing'relatively heavy and formed with a laterally protruding finger. p.

5. A single dose collapsible tube comprising a body portion and a protuberance, said protuberance including side walls and a head portion, said head portion being formed with a readily frangible area, the side walls of said protuberance being relatively heavy and formed with a latery p iecting finger grip 6. In a single dose collapsible tube, a body portion and a protuberance, said protuberance including side walls and a head portion, said head portion being formed with a transverse groove, the lower portion of said groove being formed with a relatively frangible area having sym-' metrical portions sloping outwardly and downwardly in opposite directions and axially of said groove, whereby the readily frangible area may be ruptured by a flick of the thumb nail guided by the walls of the groove therethrough, the side walls of said protuberance being formed with a projecting finger grip configuration.

"I. The process of fabricating a singledose collapsible tube comprising stamping a body portion and a protuberance with a grooved readily frangible section and heavy side walls,- cutting said heavy side walls in a manner to provide a finger gripping portion, whereby the resulting single dose tube may be gripped by the finger or a tool at the protuberance permitting further operations on the body portion.

8. A single dose container including a body portion and an integral protuberance, said pro tuberance comprising a head portion formed with a readily frangible area and relatively heavy side walls, the side walls of said protuberance having a lateral depression to form a finger grip element thereabove.

MARK A. JECUSCO. 

